Mammoth Lakes, Calif., November 8, 2023 — Due to the need for removing additional large trees from Reds Meadow before the impending winter snow, Reds Meadow Road will be now be closed for the winter.
While contractors work on the weekdays due to the Reds Meadow Road Reconstruction Project, contractors through the Whitebark Institute are removing trees from the valley on the weekends as part of a fuels reduction effort as quickly as possible before substantial snow arrives. With an even more narrow one-lane road due to the reconstruction project, the road is not safe for both logging trucks and public use.
“It is dangerous for these trucks to share the road with the public because the dirt is unstable on the downside, and the road can easily give way to a heavy logging truck if they are trying to squeeze by another vehicle,” said District Ranger Fred Wong.
“There are also blind corners on the road so we have decided to close it officially through a forest order for public safety.”
Additionally due to the recent snow storm, ice is likely to form on the narrow 1-lane road, which makes driving conditions dangerous.